Electronic keys communicate with a lock system installed in various mechanical devices for which user permission is required and serve to control the operation of the devices, such as locking or unlocking thereof, the start and end of operation thereof, and the like. Conventional electronic keys and lock systems using electronic communication therebetween are configured to carry a previously registered electronic key, thus requiring an additional portable device for the electronic key (refer to Korean Patent Application Publication No, 20-2004-0017110, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2008-7017989, and the like).
Recently, in order to solve the problems of inconvenience in that an additional device must be carried, the method of adding an electronic key function to a mobile communication terminal has been developed (refer to Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2005-0095260). However, the recently developed electronic key device using a mobile communication terminal relates to a method for creating an electronic key merely by checking access permissions, and the created electronic key can be used only in the corresponding device within a fixed range. In other words, when an electronic key is lent in order to receive valet parking service or when it is necessary to urgently receive an electronic key at a remote place, there is inconvenience in that it is required to lend or deliver the corresponding mobile communication terminal in which the electronic key has been created.
Therefore, the present inventors intend to develop a new concept of electronic key device that may deliver different permissions with which a lock system can be controlled and allow economical installation by making the maximum use of the resources of common mobile phones.